Hate Her, Hate Me
by blahh4
Summary: Ron and Hermione finally get together in their sixth year. Everyone is happy for them, and relieved. But then, when everything seemed perfect, they get into a terrible fight, and are somehow transported ten years into the future.
1. Perfect World

**AN**: Okay, so I had the first chapter of this typed up already, but I lost it. This story is the most popular preview from my story _Previews_. I have no idea what order the others are going in, because this story has 3 votes and the other were all tied with 1. Yes, yes, I really am that terrible of an author to not get that many votes. Well, if you didn't already review for which preview you like most, PLEASE do so I can break this terrible tie. (haha) Or, they might NEVER be written!!! GASP!

**Chapter 1: Perfect World**

Hogwarts in October. Most kids like it, because it means Halloween. And Halloween at Hogwarts was always amazing. Especially the feast. This year, Halloween was on the perfect day; Saturday. The third years and above would go to Hogsmeade for the day and return at night for the amazing Halloween feast.

It was Thursday, and most students were doing their homework in their common rooms, or wandering around the castle. Two students, however, were in their dorm, mulling over a crisis.

"I'm bloody nervous, Harry!" Ron ran a hand through his flaming red hair.

Harry sighed. "Look Ron, I've told you over and over again that she's bound to say yes! You can ask everyone in the Gryffindor house, including the first years. They'll all give you the same answer. Hermione likes you and she'll say yes!"

Ron ran a hand through his hair again. "But... what if she says no?"

"Ron, I've known Hermione for seven years, just as long as you have. She's bound to say yes; I know it!" Harry reassured him.

Ron took a deep breath. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Harry replied firmly.

Ron gripped his long, flaming hair tightly and let out a frustrated sigh. "I'm bloody nervous, Harry!" He repeated.

"Ron, stop it," Harry commanded, thoroughly annoyed at Ron's behavior. "Just ask the girl out! If she says no, then we must be in some kind of alternate universe or something, because she _is_ going to say yes!"

"Okay, okay," Ron finally picked up his tone. "I'll ask her next time I see her, which'll probably be at dinner."

"Okay, good," Harry sighed in relief. "Let's go down to the common room and start our homework."

Harry could tell that Ron wasn't very happy with the idea of leaving their common room (because of the likely chance that they'd meet Hermione), but he agreed anyway.

They got their books and trudged down into the common room. They sat in their normal seats and got to work on the huge amount of Transfiguration homework McGonagall had assigned to them.

"Hey guys!"

Ron jumped, and turned around to see Hermione coming toward them, smiling brightly. To Ron, her smile lit up the entire common room.

"Hey Hermione," Harry grinned and side-glanced at Ron, who had his mouth open slightly.

"Hey Harry. Hey Ron," Hermione sat down in her normal chair, not noticing the boys' unusual behavior. She went through her bag, before exclaiming, "Oh! I left my quill upstairs. I'll be right back."

She got up and made for the girls staircase. Harry shot Ron a look saying that now was his chance. Hesitantly and shaking like mad, Ron stood up.

"Er... Hermione?" Ron stopped her.

Hermione turned around, her hair whipping along with her. "Yes, Ron?"

"Er-," He made an odd choking sound. But he couldn't stop now.

"Ron?" Hermione asked, concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Hermione, do you wanna go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend? Ya know... like, a date?"

Hermione instantly blushed. "Sure, Ron..."

"Really? You mean it?" Ron inquired eagerly.

Hermione nodded and smiled. "Yeah,"

Ron rushed toward her and gave her a big hug. The whole common room burst into applause, since they had all been listening. Harry and Ginny were clapping the loudest.

The older students made comments like, "It's about time!" and "Did you guys _just_ realize you were meant to be?"

The next morning, Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered the Great Hall, Ron's and Hermione's hands entwined. The sixth and seventh year students all knew that it was about time, and the other students just thought it was cute.

Hermione and Ron ate their breakfast while saying mushy comments to each other and excluding everyone else. Harry rolled his eyes and turned to Ginny. "How long do you think they'll act like this?" Harry asked.

Ginny examined them for a minute. "A week," She said finally.

Harry made a face. "What makes you say that?"

Ginny shrugged. "I dunno,"

Harry grinned. "Well, no offense, but I hope you're wrong."

"Well, no offense, but I hope I am too,"

Harry laughed.

Shortly after, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny got up to go to their first class. Ginny's was Potions and the trio's had Charms. Ron and Hermione held hands the entire way.

As they were about to part, Ginny looked from one to the other, grinning. "Well, it's about time!"

Hermione was confused. "What do you mean, Ginny?"

Ginny said, exasperatedly. "You two have been at each other's throats ever since you met each other. Everyone knew that you really liked each other."

The couple blushed.

They all waved good-bye, and Ginny went down into the dungeons while the others headed upward to the Charms room.

Ron was happy. Hermione was happy. And everyone was happy for them. So what on earth could ruin Ron's perfect world?


	2. The Earthquake

**AN:** Yay I'm finally updating!! I had so much writers block on EVERY SINGLE STORY that it wasn't ever funny. But now it is. Anyway, I deleted Before and After because there was no way I could've finished it without it being crappy. Hehe. Anyway. ONWARD WITH LE STORY!

**Chapter 2: The Earthquake**

Life had been perfect for Ronald Weasley ever since that day before Halloween. And now, it was Christmas, and he and Hermione were _still_ making mushy comments to each other.

Harry stared at them at breakfast the last day of term and then glanced at Ginny. "A week, you said?"

Ginny sighed. "I guess I'm no love expert,"

"Well, obviously,"

Ginny glared. "Shut up. You couldn't have done any better,"

Harry blinked. Ginny sighed in annoyance and then glanced at Ron, who was next to her. He was, once again, complimenting Hermione on her 'gorgeous hair.'

"UGH!!!" She yelled and then left the Great Hall.

Ron and Hermione looked out of each other's eyes, for the first time in nearly two months, and watched Ginny leave. "What's her problem?" Ron asked Harry.

"Oh, nothing," Harry drawled sarcastically.

"Good, because I didn't wanna have to deal with her right now," Ron then turned back to Hermione and they were lost again.

Harry rolled his eyes and then went after Ginny.

&&

Harry never thought he would find himself doing this. He was lying on his bed, since classes were over, and was wishing that Ron and Hermione wouldn't keep excluding him anymore. Ron and Hermione were his best friends in the whole world, and now they wouldn't even talk to him anymore when they were together. Even though they'd been happier than ever since Halloween, Harry couldn't take it. Sure, Ginny was good company, but she just wasn't Ron or Hermione. Itjust wasn'tthe same.

Just then, a startling noise jumped Harry from his thoughts.

"Hermione, wait!" Ron cried as Hermione tried to escape to her dormitory.

"What, Ronald!?" She yelled at him as she spun around angrily.

"Why... I-I didn't mean to!" He moaned.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes you did! I heard you! Of course you meant it!"

Harry came thundering down the stairs.

"Just STAY AWAY from me!" She shrieked.

Harry looked at her as she ran up the spiral staircase and out of sight. "What was that all about?" He directed to Ron.

Ron said nothing; he just stared at the staircase in which Hermione had disappeared into, and then slowly walked up to his own dormitory.

Harry looked after him and they approached Ginny, who was among the many silent Gryffindors in the common room.

"What happened?" He asked her.

She shrugged. "I heard as much as you did."

Harry was silent. He couldn't help but think that the fight was his fault.

&&

Harry had gone to sleep the night before, only to find that Ron was already sleeping. He didn't have a chance to talk to Ron until breakfast that morning. He found him and Hermione sitting a good distance apart, picking at their food. Harry noticed that they kept stealing glances at each other, but the other one never noticed.

He approached Ron and told him that he needed to talk to him outside the Hall. He told Hermione the same.

They grabbed their bags and awkwardly followed him out, staring at their shoes.

Harry stopped them, and asked furiously, "What's wrong with you two?"

"Ask her," Ron growled, pointing threateningly at Hermione.

"No, ask him!" Hermione yelled.

"Shut up!" Harry cried. "I'm asking both of you. Now what happened yesterday?"

Ron turned to Harry. "I don't know what I did. I just said something and she bloody flipped out!"

Hermione rounded on him. "You were telling me how ugly I used to be!"

"No I wasn't!" Ron looked appalled at the thought.

Hermione rounded on Harry. "We were walking by the library, _past_ the library, when _he_ told me how much prettier I looked walking _past_ the library, and not constantly being _in_ the library!" She pretty much screamed.

"So?" Ron shouted back.

"If you can't figure it out, I'm not telling you." She crossed her arms over her chest, picked up her bag, which had ended up on the ground, and started walking away. Then, quite suddenly, she looked back, and said, "By the way, Ron, I'll be in the library, so don't bother me. I wouldn't want you to catch me while I was ugly." And with that, she went up the stairs and was out of sight.

Ron rolled his eyes after her comment, "She's still mental,"

Harry looked at Ron. "You mean to say that you _still_ don't understand what your words meant to her?"

"Er… yes?"

"You told her that when she used to spend all the time in the library, it made her ugly," Harry supplied.

Ron groaned. "But I didn't mean that!"

"Don't tell me that," Harry told him, "tell Hermione."

Ron nodded his face slightly whiter than normal. He followed Hermione's path to the library.

Harry grinned to himself. It felt good to finish something that he himself had started.

&&

Ron found Hermione in the library. She was reading a book and then scribbling down some notes. Ron would have commented on why she was doing her homework on the first day of vacation, but restrained himself. He had an apology to make first.

"Er… Hermione?"

Hermione's face snapped to his. "Oh… it's you. What do you want now? To tell me how ugly I am?"

"Look, Hermione, I'm really sorry about that. I didn't think when I said it. You know how I just say things sometimes and I don't think about how much they can affect people?" Ron gushed, hoping it was enough.

Hermione closed her book and sighed. "How long did it take for you to figure it out?"

"Harry told me," Ron instantly found out that that was the wrong answer.

"_Harry_ told you? _HARRY_ told you?"

"Er… yeah, why?"

"So, _Harry_ could figure what was wrong, but_ you_, of all people, _couldn't_?" Hermione glared.

"I'm sorry Hermione… you know how, um, I'm not very bright." Ron muttered.

"This has nothing to do with being bright!" Hermione was raising her voice, causing Madam Pince to come over and force them to leave the library. Ron followed Hermione out, a terrible feeling in his stomach. Hermione was leading the way back to the Gryffindor Tower, her bag slung over her arm. Ron was following at a slow pace behind her.

They were on the sixth floor, at the foot of a staircase,when Hermione suddenly turned to face Ron.

"How could not figure out what was wrong with me? I'm your girlfriend; no matter how smart or stupid you are, you're supposed to know these kinds of things!" She shrieked.

"But… but Hermione… I--," Ron stuttered.

"Don't even _try_ to apologize, Ronald Weasley! My own boyfriend had to go to his best friend to find out why I was upset! Maybe I should date Harry; at least this wayI know that he will always know what's wrong!" Hermione screamed.

She had struck a nerve with the last comment. "Fine, date Harry, SEE HOW I CARE!" Ron yelled back.

"I WILL!"

"FINE!"

Hermione started running up the staircase that went to the seventh floor, leaving Ron steaming back at the bottom. Then, when she reached the top, she stopped and turned around.

"Ron, I HATE YOU!" Hermione shrieked from the top of the staircase.

"I HATE YOU TOO!" Ron yelled at her.

Quite suddenly, the ground began to shake.

&&

"They've been gone for a while," Ginny said to Harry in the Gryffindor common room. Ron had gone to apologize to Hermione an hour ago, and they still weren't back.

"They're probably in a broom closet somewhere snogging each other," Harry told her matter-of-factly.

Ginny blinked. "You're probably right. Still, we should still go find them."

Harry shifted in his seat. "Um… I know how we can make it easier."

"How?"

"Follow me,"

Harry led Ginny into his dormitory. When they reached it he started digging in his trunk for the Marauder's Map. Harry then instructed her to shut the door, and she did so, perplexed.

He went next to Ginny, tapped the parchment, and then said "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Then, the map appeared.

Ginny gasped. "What is this?"

"This is a map that my dad and his friends made back when they were at Hogwarts," Harry explained. "It shows everything about Hogwarts, including the secret passageways. Your brothers Fred and George gave it to me in my third year."

Ginny grinned. "I knew there was something secret about their success," Then she looked back at the map. "So, how will this help us find Ron and Hermione?"

"Well, it shows exactly where people are. See, look," He pointed to a tower, where it showed two pairs of footprints, the one on the right labeled _Harry Potter_ and the one next to him was labeled _Ginerva Weasley._

"Wow," She breathed. "So, where's Ron and Hermione?"

Harry looked through the entire map. When he finished, he was silent.

"Well? Where are they?" Ginny asked impatiently.

"They're not on the map,"

"What?" Ginny yelped. She sat down on Harry's bed. "Look again!"

Harry sat down next to her, and, with her help, they went through the map twice more.

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Where are they?"

"Does this map show Hogsmeade?" Ginny inquired.

"No," Harry answered slowly.

"Well, maybe they used that secret passageway--," she pointed to the statue of the witch, "to get into Hogsmeade."

"How did you know that that was a passageway that led to Hogsmeade?" Harry asked, amazed.

Ginny ginned. "Well, there's a narrow tunnel behind it, which obviously means that it's a secret passage. And anyone could tell that it leads to the direction of Hogsmeade."

Harry laughed, "Brilliant, Ginny,"

&&

The ground was shaking. It was like an earthquake. It knocked Hermione and Ron off their feet. Hermione, being at the very top of a staircase, had to grip the banister on the stairs so she wouldn't fall.

The ground shook even more, if that were possibly, and Hermione's head began to throb. Her hands slipped and she tumbled down the stairs, screaming. Her head hit the bottom of the stairs, she heard Ron's panicked voice yell her name, and then all went black.

&&

Harry came down the stairs of his dormitory and approached Ginny, who was reading by the fire.

"Ginny, it's dinnertime and Hermione and Ron still haven't returned from Hogsmeade," He told Ginny.

Ginny looked up at him, worried. "Should we go down there and find them? Fred and George work down there, so they can help us."

"Okay,"

&&

"Hermione…"

Hermione could hear someone calling her, but she didn't open her eyes. What happened? She couldn't remember anything, but her head was throbbing like mad. As if she had been thrown down some stairs…

Then, quite suddenly, she remembered the earthquake, and she remembered falling down the stairs.

"Hermione!" The voice sounded urgent.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she was in the same place where she had fallen down.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ron ran towards her as she sat up slowly.

"Yeah... Ron, where are we?" She looked around. She noticed that they were at Hogwarts, but... it looked... different, somehow.

"Um… I think we're at Hogwarts," Ron looked around.

"Of course we're at Hogwarts," Hermione snapped at him, and then shakily got up.

"Er – Hermione, maybe you should sit down for a while," Ron told her worriedly.

"Why? Because I'm too weak?" She glared. "Come on, let's go to the Gryffindor common room,"

"But… wait Hermione…" Ron stammered.

She turned and faced him angrily. "What?"

"What about that earthquake?"

"What about it?"

"Nothings broken… when I blacked out, right after you, I saw things falling. Like… parts of the stairs was chipping and stuff. But everything's as good as new…" Ron poorly explained.

Hermione agreed, but didn't tell him that. "Well, maybe the walls are charmed to fix themselves or something. Come on, let's go!"

"Wait... Hermione... where's our bags?"

"They probably just fell down the stairs. C'mon Ron! We need to get back to the commonroom now!" Hermione ordered impatiently.

As Hermione led the way to the Gryffindor Tower, she couldn't help but feel that something was wrong. That something was very wrong.


	3. Ten Years Later

**AN:** Hello… I'm back… yay! Okay, well, I'm anxious to write this, so enough chatter, and on to the chapter! (Oh, and to Mione Weasley, you were the first one to notice the mistake because I don't get many reviews... hehe) 

**Chapter 3: Ten Years Later**

Hermione was walking hurriedly up the steps to the 7th floor, Ron following at a slower pace. He knew that something wasn't right… he could just tell. The pictures seemed to be different… it was as if… there were more of them… which, for some people, seemed impossible because the Hogwarts walls were filled with pictures… but Ron couldn't come to any other conclusion.

Hermione reached the Gryffindor Tower first and said the password, 'Chaser.'

"No, I'm sorry, that is not the password," The portrait of the Fat Lady drawled.

Hermione wrinkled her brow as Ron came up next to her. "What do you mean, it's not the password? It was the password when I left the common tonight for dinner!"

The Fat Lady just stared. "No, it wasn't."

"Yes, it was!" Hermione nearly shouted.

"What's up?" Ron asked at last.

"Wasn't the password 'Chaser'?" Hermione rounded on him.

"Er, yes," Ron answered.

"See?" Hermione turned back around to face the Fat Lady.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you in without the correct password," The Fat Lady told her.

"Ugh. Ron, what're we gonna do now? No Gryffindors will be out of the tower at this time of night!" Hermione cried, almost hysterically. Ron, afraid of her when she was in a bad mood, was spared answering, because the Fat Lady stammered, "D-did you just say Ron?"

"Yes," Hermione snapped.

"Ron… Weasley?"

"_What_ are you getting at?" Hermione asked, thoroughly annoyed.

"And you're… Hermione Granger," It wasn't a question. The next thing Ron and Hermione knew, the Fat Lady was fleeing from her portrait.

"Maybe she heard you yelling at me down in the library," Ron mumbled. Hermione glared at him, and then said snappishly, "Let's go see Professor McGonagall and find out what's wrong with the Fat Lady."

Hermione took off in her hurried pace, and Ron with his slow one. When they reached Professor McGonagall's office, Hermione knocked loudly, three times. There was no answer. She knocked repeatedly again, still very annoyed. When there was still no answer, she cried out in frustration.

"This is NOT the time for her to be out of her office," She breathed heavily. Ron was backing away slowly.

"Er… let's try Professor Dumbledore's office," He suggested.

"Fine," Hermione led the way.

They reached the office in five minutes time. They met no one along the way.

"Chocolate Frog," Hermione named the first sweet that came to mind. The gargoyle's stayed still.

"Er… cauldron cake?" Ron tried with no avail.

They kept on naming sweets for a few minutes, before Hermione threw her hands upand nearly yelled "This is ridiculous!"

Just then, they heard footsteps coming their way. "Oh, thank God!" Hermione murmured, and waited for the owner of the footsteps to come into view.

Professor McGonagall rounded the corner, a stack of books and parchment hiding her face from view.

"Professor McGonagall!" Hermione greeted. "We wanted to talk to you."

"Ah, okay, well, let's go into my office, then," Professor McGonagall said from behind the stack. She went up to the gargoyle's and said 'Transfiguration' and the gargoyle's jumped aside. Hermione and Ron, confused, exchanged raised eyebrows. Nevertheless, they followed Professor McGonagall into the office.

They went up the spiral staircase and Professor McGonagall opened the door and said in a muffled voice, "Please take a seat," and she went behind the desk and put down the books and parchment.

The office looked different. There were no more strange magical instruments; now, there was nothing but books and parchment. There was no more Fawkes, either. The office looked a lot less cheery that the last time they have come.

"Professor, we wanted to talk to you about the Fat Lady; we tried your office but no on answered, so we came here -," Hermione started.

"But, _this_ is my office, Miss -," Professor McGonagall studied her.

Hermione exchanged another look with Ron and answered, "Granger, Professor."

Professor McGonagall paled. It was then that Hermione realized that she looked older; she had more lines on her face, and her hair was grayer.

Professor McGonagall stammered like the Fat Lady had. "G-Granger? Hermione Granger?"

Hermione nodded slowly.

Professor McGonagall looked at Ron. "And… and Ronald Weasley?" Ron nodded, his face blank.

Professor McGonagall clutched her heart and sat down, saying "Oh… oh, this is too much for an old woman's heart to handle…"

"What are you talking about, Professor?" Hermione spoke up loudly. She was still in a rather foul mood.

"I… I can't believe it… ten years…" Professor McGonagall stared at them.

Hermione, bewildered, stared around the office. There were still pictures of the old Headmasters and Headmistresses of Hogwarts, but then, she noticed, right in the middle, was the picture of Albus Dumbledore. Below his picture was his date of death. June 14th, 1998.

"1998?" Hermione breathed. The she looked at the name plastered on the desk in front of her. "Professor Minerva McGonagall" and next it was the current date: December 30, 2006.

Hermione's eyes widened. It had just hit her… why the Fat Lady had not let them in… why Hogwarts looked different… and why Professor McGonagall turned pale. She jumped up, grabbed Ron by the sleeve of his shirt, and flew down the spiral staircase, dragging him behind her. She barely heard Professor McGonagall yelling down at them, telling them to stop, or Ron, cursing at her and asking what she was doing.

She didn't stop running until they were outside the castle. She dragged him into a shadowy corner, and sat, gasping for breath, shivering from the icy, winter air.

"Hermione…" Ron panted. "What… was… _that_… about?"

Hermione had regained her breath, and answered, "Ron, I know why Hogwarts looks different, and why the Fat Lady didn't let us in the Tower and then freaked out… and why Professor McGonagall nearly had a heart attack."

"Really? Why?" Ron was oblivious. Hermione thought he was being much more stupid than usual.

"We were transported ten years into the future!" Hermione told him dramatically.

Ron stared. Although they were in the shadow, Hermione could imagine his blank face, as she had seen it many times before.

"You're mental," Ron croaked.

"Ron!" Hermione hissed. "Don't you get it? This is Hogwarts ten years from our time! The date of Professor Dumble- er, McGonagall's desk reads December 29, _2006_!"

"It does?" Ron sounded faint.

"Yes! And, as I was looking around her office, I saw Dumbledore's picture, and below, for his date of death, it read June 14th, 1998!"

Ron was silent for a moment. Then, he said, "H-how did this happen?"

"I -," Hermione paused. That was the same question that had been haunting her as well. How _did _they get here? And… _why_ were they here? "I don't know," She answered at last.

"Well, let's go find out some stuff. I dunno why you ran out of Professor McGonagall's office like that…" He mumbled and got up to leave.

"Ron!" Hermione hissed, pulling him back into the shadows. "This is just like traveling with the Time Turner! We _must not be seen_!"

"Hermione!" Ron growled, annoyed like she had been mere moments ago. "We've already _been_ seen! By the Fat Lady and Professor McGonagall!"

"Well, obviously she couldn't have seen us as sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds," Hermione informed him matter-of-factly.

Hermione could almost hear Ron blinking. "But she _did_ see us as sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds, remember?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Yes, but no one will believe her! I mean, we're obviously twenty-six and -sevenright now, so when, or if, she tells people that she saw us as sixteen- and seventeen-year-olds, no one will believe her!"

"But the Fat Lady saw us too! Won't it be suspicious since _two_ people saw us at sixteen on the same night?" Ron countered. "And can we just say teens and adults, instead of 'twenty-six and -seven years olds' and 'sixteen- and seventeen-year olds'? It takes too long to say."

Hermione shook her head, disbelieving that he could make suchstupid comments at a time like this."Fine. And like someone's going to believe an old woman and a portrait."

Ron raised his eyebrows at her. Then he said to her, "Well, if we can't be seen, what are we going to do?"

Hermione sighed. She had been pondering that as well. She looked around when idea popped into her head.

"During the day, we canstay in the Forbidden Forest -," Ron twitched next to her. "In the _daytime_, Ronald, and we'll be on the edge of the forest, but deep enough so no one can see us. And we'll be able to keep away from Hagrid, since it's probably harder for him to move about in thick trees," It occurred to her that Hagrid might not even still be alive, but she pushed that thought from her head, and continued, "And, at night, we'll wander the castle. We can get food from the kitchens, find out what's changed, and go to the library to see if we can find out what's happened over the last ten years. And maybe research a way to find out how we got here."

Ron nodded. "Okay,"

"Alright, now, we have to get to the Forest as quickly as possible." Hermione told him. "Okay… we'll run for it. One… Two…" She glanced at Ron, who was looking straight ahead at the Forest in which they were going to live in, "Three!" They sprinted, as fast as they could, through the deep snow, toward the edge of the Forest. When they got there, they fell to the ground, panting and gasping for breath once more. Hermione looked around wildly to see if anyone had come out of the castle to follow them, but no one did. The castle remained quiet and still.

"Well, let's make us up a bed or something out of… these leaves, I guess," Hermione sighed. Why couldn't they be seen? She asked herself. Oh, yes, because they were two teenagers who are known to be in their twenties. That's right, She reminded herself grimly.

A half an hour later, Hermione and Ron had finally made themselves comfortable, their heads against large tree roots. They weren't on the very edge of the forest, since there was too much snow there. They had gone a little bit deeper, so that they could still see the castle, but there was little snow. Luckily, they were wearing heavy clothes, so they weren't _too_ cold. They had brushed away the snow that had managed to fall through the thick trees.

"Hermione?" Ron asked softly after they had been lying down for a while.

"Hm?" She mumbled drowsily.

"Do you think we'll be able to get back?"

Hermione sighed. She didn't know. They didn't even know how they had gotten here in the first place, so it was going to be very hard to find a way back. But Hermione knew that she shouldn't think negatively. Her parents had always told her to be positive; positive people always come out better than the negative people, they told her.

"Yes, Ron, I do,"


	4. The Daily Prophets

**AN:** I'm here again. This must be a record for me. I'm writing two different things in the same week. O.O

Yay ten pages!! Whee.

**Chapter 4: The Daily Prophets**

Ron woke up early the next morning. From what he could see of the blood and orange colored sky, it was dawn, probablyaround seven in the morning. It took him a moment to realize where he was and why he was there. Then, everything came flooding back to him. The fight, the breakup, the earthquake, and then finding themselves ten years into the future. He glanced over at Hermione. She was still asleep. She looked so peaceful. Her head was resting on a large tree root; some of her bushy brown hair was in her face, and her mouth was a straight line. Her chest moved up and down every few seconds, and she shivered slightly.

Ron then realized that it was New Year's Eve, and the land outside the forest was covered in mounds of snow. He shivered too, but took off his cloak and laid it down on Hermione. She stopped shivering and smiled slightly.

Ron smiled at her, and then leaned against a tree opposite Hermione and began to think back to his own time… when, or if, they returned, will time have gone by?

&&

Ginny's eyes fluttered open. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Looking around she realized that she was in the common room. Why was she there? She then looked down at what she had been using as a pillow… it was Harry. She'd been sleeping in his lap. Why were they in the common room?

"Oh, yes…" Ginny muttered. She remembered yesterday when she and Harry had gone to Hogsmeade to look for Ron and Hermione. After two hours of searching, they gave up, thinking that Ron and Hermione must've returned by then, and had come up to the Gryffindor Tower and fallen asleep.

"Harry… Harry, wake up," Ginny prodded him. Harry gave a loud snort and slept on.

Ginny grinned. She bent over and whispered in Harry's ear, "The boys in your dormitory want to know where you were last night. Should I tell them the truth or what they want to hear?"

Harry jumped up and looked around wildly. "Huh? What? Where are they? Tell them the truth of course!"

Ginny giggled. "I thought that might get you up,"

Harry, finally understanding, glared at her. "Ginny! Don't scare me like that!"

"Well, you wouldn't wake up," Ginny told him innocently. "What else was I supposed to do?"

"Pour ice cold water on me like most people would do?"

Ginny thought about that one. "Good idea. I'll do that one next time."

"Ginny!"

"Hey, well, I think we _would_ like to know where you were last night," Came a voice from the top of the boy's staircase. A moment later, Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom came into view. Dean Thomas had been the only Gryffindor sixth year to go home for the Christmas holidays.

Ginny jumped up. "How much did you guys hear?"

"Oh, just from the part of telling us the truth or what we want to hear," Seamus grinned as Harry and Ginny blushed crimson. "But really, where were you guys and Ron last night?"

"You mean Ron didn't come back?" Harry asked, confused. He and Ginny glanced at each other nervously.

"No, why?" Neville asked, looking from one to the other.

"Well, Ginny and I couldn't find Ron or Hermione anywhere. We searched the castle over and over again, and then decided that they probably already came back. So we came back and fell asleep here because we were exhausted." Harry purposely left out the part about looking in Hogsmeade and using the Marauder's Map.

"Hermione didn't come back either," Lavender Brown's voiced floated from the girl's staircase, and, sure enough, she and Parvati were descending down the stairs seconds later.

"That is really strange," Ginny said, looking very worried. "What could have happened to them?"

"I don't know… hold on, I'll be right back," He dashed up to his dormitory, shoved the Marauder's Map into his pocket, and was flying back down the stairs in time to see Seamus andNeville exchange bizarre looks.

"Ginny and I are going to talk to Professor Dumbledore," Harry said shortly and led Ginny out of the common room, leaving the otherfour Gryffindors raising their eyebrows.

Harry and Ginny walked along a corridor in silence until Harry pulled out the Map, tapped it with his wand, and said "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," and soon, they could see the whole of Hogwarts. He searched the entire map for Ron and Hermione but still couldn't find them.

"Ginny, something's wrong," Harry told her, his voice shaking. She merely nodded, her face very pale.

They went to Professor Dumbledore's office and said the new password (Jolly Rancher) and they went up the spiral staircase. Harry tapped the map again, muttered, "Mischief managed" and the map went blank. He then knocked on Dumbledore's office doors.

After a few seconds, Dumbledore opened the door for them and smiled pleasantly. "Ah, Miss Weasley, Mr. Potter, come in," He stood back and let them go through. They slowly walked in and sat down in two red armchairs in front of Dumbledore's desk. Dumbledore himself stood in front of them.

"Now, why, may I ask, are you here?"

"Well, Professor, yesterday, Ron and Hermione got into a fight. I told Ron what was wrong with Hermione, and he went to apologize. And… well… they never came back." Harry finished.

"Did you look for them?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes sir, we used the map and, even though they didn't appear on it all night, we searched anyway until well past midnight. And we send an owl to Fred and George to have them look in Hogsmeade to see if they were there. Then, we were so exhausted that we came back to the common room and fell asleep." Ginny told him, still paper white. She, like him, thought it was best not to mention that they had actually _gone_ to Hogsmeade.

Dumbledore stood up. "Did Messrs Fred and George find them?"

"No, sir,"

Dumbledore swept past them and threw some powder into his fire, and said "Minerva!"

Professor McGonagall's head appeared in the fire. She looked from Harry to Ginny to Dumbledore. "What's wrong, Albus?"

"I want you to tell all the students to go back to their dormitories. The teachers need to conduct a search, and I want the Head of Houses to tell their students that Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger have gone missing. Tell the Heads to ask their students if they have any idea where the two might be, and if they do, ask them to please come forward." Professor Dumbledore instructed.

Professor McGonagall had gone tight-lipped, but nodded anyway and her head disappeared.

Professor Dumbledore turned back to Harry and Ginny. "I want you two to go directly to the Gryffindor Tower, and tell anybody who hasn't left yet to stay in there. Don't tell them anything; wait for Professor McGonagall. I need to write a letter to the Weasley's and the Granger's and then I will help in the search."

Harry and Ginny didn't need telling twice; they nodded and exited the office.

They walked in silence for about half the way. When they were on the fifth floor, however, Ginny stopped suddenly and leaned against the wall.

"Ginny!' Harry exclaimed, alarmed. He took a step toward her, but she put up a hand. Her face had some blood back in it, and she tearing up.

"Harry… what happened to them?" She whispered, sniffling.

Harry walked up to her and embraced her in a tight hug. She hugged back and buried her face in his neck. "I don't know Ginny…" Harry whispered. "I don't know, but I wish I did know."

Ginny started to cry. "Do you think they ran away?"

"I don't know,"

Ginny suddenly drew back, her eyes red and puffy. "Could they have possibly eloped?"

Even with the situation being so tense, Harry couldn't help but laugh at that. "I don't think so Ginny,"

She smiled weakly. "Yeah, you're right. I'm just being silly."

Harry put his arm around her. "Hey, it's okay. Look, let's go back to the Gryffindor Tower; if Professor McGonagall finds that we're not there, there'll be hell to pay."

Ginny giggled slightly, and they both jumped when a magically magnified voice rang overhead. "WILL ALL STUDENTS PLEASE REPORT TO THEIR HOUSE COMMON ROOM IMMEDIATELY. YOUR HEAD OF HOUSE WILL BE THEIR SHORTLY TO EXPLAIN."

"Let's hurry," Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and hurried her up the last two flights of stairs and into the Tower.

As they entered, all the Gryffindors came swarming up to them.

"What happened?"

"Why are they forcing us to stay in here?"

"Did someone die?"

Harry sent up sparks with his wand and silenced everyone. "Listen up! As you heard, Professor McGonagall will be here shortly to explain. I was told not to stay anything, but I will tell you that no one had died."

"Yet," Ginny whispered so that only he could hear her.

&&

Ron sat against the tree trunk for hours, just sitting and thinking. Occasionally he would brush some of the hair away that blew into Hermione's face and would rearrange the cloak so that it covered her more. He started thinking about what she had said to him that had hurt him so much. _"Maybe I should date Harry; at least this way I know that he will always know what's wrong!"_ Those words echoed in his head. Had she meant it?

When the sun was all the way up, and the clock chimed noon, Hermione finally stirred. Ron jumped; everything had been so motionless since dawn that her movement had startled him.

Hermione opened her eyes and looked around. She lifted herselfup and rubbed her eyes, the cloak falling off her in the process. She looked as if she had only just realized where they were and why they were there. She looked down at the cloak that had slid off of her and she knew it wasn't hers. She looked up at Ron.

"Is this yours?"

Ron nodded silently.

"Why is it on me?"

Ron shrugged. "When I woke up you were shivering. So I decided to lend you my cloak."

"What time did you get up?"

"Dawn,"

"What time is it?"

"Noon,"

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "It's already noon! You woke up at dawn and I at noon? What's going on? You _never _wake up early! And I _never _wake up late!"

"Okay, I get it," Ron snapped.

Hermione blushed. "Sorry,"

"Well, what are we gonna do until night?" Ron asked, looking through the thick trees to the snow covered castle.

"Well… I think we outta try and get more sleep. We'll be up all night," With that, Hermione lied down again and fell asleep almost instantly.

Ron sighed, but he leaned back against the tree trunk and, too, fell asleep.

&&

It was dark when Ron awoke again. He rubbed his eyes and looked around for Hermione. He saw her; she had conjured up a blue fire and was keeping warm by it.

"Hey," He mumbled sleepily.

"Hi,"

"How long have you been up for?" He asked, joining her by the fire.

"About an hour,"

"What time is it?"

"One o' clock. The clock chimed right before you woke up. The castle is finally quiet… you know, being New Year's Eve and all."

One o' clock already? He had slept for 13 hours? It was hard to believe, but when he thought of it, he had been pretty exhausted.

"Well, do you think we should go?"

Hermione nodded eagerly. "I was waiting for you to get up,"

He smiled slightly.

They both stood up and brushed themselves clean. Hermione scooped up the blue fire and handed it to Ron. "Here, keep it in your cloak,"

"What about you?" He asked, taking the fire in his hands and feeling warmth course through him.

"I'll make myself one," Hermione pulled out her wand, muttered an incantation that Ron didn't catch, and another blue fire appeared in her hands. She put her wand away, and the two of them made their way to the edge of the forest, the fires kept safely in their cloaks.

They trudged through the deep snow, completely covered in their cloaks. The warmth of the fires in their cloaks didn't help keep their feet or legs warm.

When they finally reached the oak doors, they pushed them open very quietly. Since the castle was cold and icy as well, they kept their cloaks on and the fires continued to burn.

"Where should we go first?" Ron whispered.

"Library," Hermione answered instantly.

"Hermione! This is not time to do research!" Ron moaned.

Hermione glared. "I'm not doing research. The library always keeps old Daily Prophets."

Ron raised his eyebrows. "Ten years worth?"

"Every Daily Prophet since it was founded," Hermione snapped and started climbing the stairs to the library.

Ron sighed and followed her.

They reached the library and set their fires down on the table.

"So where are the papers?" Ron clapped his hands together eagerly.

Hermione led him to a section of the library he had never been in before. It was huge and there were newspapers crammed into every space. Ron's eyes were huge but Hermione just went to the very bottom on the right side of the bookshelf and pulled out a newspaper.

"This was today; December 31st," Hermione read the date and the proceeded to the headline. She stood there for about five minutes, reading, going paler as each second went by. She then looked up at Ron. She led him to their table and collapsed into her chair, throwing the paper at him.

"What?"

"Read," Hermione croaked.

_**Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley Sighted**_

_We all remember that faithful day, exactly ten years ago, when Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Ronald Weasley, the two best friends of Harry Potter, went missing, and the horrific events that followed. Those two students are still being searched for to this day. Their bodies were never recovered._

_However, yesterday, at around 8 o' clock P.M., Professor Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, claimed that two students came to her office and wanted to talk to her about the portrait that leads into the Gryffindor common room (for safety of the Gryffindors, the name of the portrait shall not be released). Professor McGonagall let them into her office, not knowing who they were, as she was hidden by a large stack of books. They came into her office and said that the portrait would not let them in, even though they said the right password. Professor McGonagall then realized who they were. Miss Granger, or, at least the Miss Granger that Professor McGonagall claimed to see, looked around the office, eyes growing wide, then grabbed Mr. Weasley, and fled. Professor McGonagall said that 'it was like they still thought it was the night they disappeared. As if time stopped for ten years and then started up again.' We later talked to the portrait who also claimed that, only minutes before, saw the two students trying to enter the common room who looked remarkably like Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger._

"_They said the password was Chaser!" the portrait wailed. "That was the password exactly ten years ago!"_

_Read more on Page A-5 about the disappearance and strange reappearance on Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley._

Ron stopped reading and glanced at Hermione. She was fanning herself, clearly dazed.

"So… we don't exist in this world?" Ron asked her breathlessly.

"I guess time _does _go by in the other world…. I wonder what Harry is up to," Hermione said suddenly. She got up and got the paper for December 31st, 1996. Ron looked over her shoulder and saw that it was nothing out of the ordinary. "Hm…" Hermione mused. "Maybe they didn't report it until the next day." She pulled out the paper for January 1st, 1997, and, sure enough, the headline was that they had gone missing. They didn't bother reading the article.

"What 'horrific events' followed our disappearance?" Ron asked, quoting the paper.

Hermione sighed. "There's only one way to find out," She pulled a stack of newspaper out and started to glance at the headlines. Ron followed suit and they looked at every headline published in the past ten years.

Finally, Ron spotted something. "Hermione! Here it is!" Hermione abandoned her stack and rushed toward him. "It says that onJune 14th, 1998…" He paused.

"Well?!"

"Harry Potter died," Ron whispered.

Hermione paled again and fell back into her chair. "He-he _died_?"

Ron nodded solemnly. "The article says that _'Ever since Harry Potter's best friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, disappeared, he had suffered from depression. Not even his girlfriend, Ginny Weasley_-,'" Ron made an odd choking noise, but then continue, "'-_ could help him. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his followers took this as good news. Last night, Harry was wandering around the Hogwarts grounds under an Invisibility Cloak. An unidentified spy of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named who was stationed at Hogwarts took this opportunity. There was a struggle and a duel, but the spy got the better of The Boy Who Lived with the Avada Kedavra curse. A tearful Ginny Weasley claims that if Ron and Hermione hadn't disappeared, Harry wouldn't be dead.'"_

Ron looked up at Hermione. "We're responsible," He croaked. "We killed Harry,"

"Don't be silly Ron, we didn't choose to come here," Hermione told him; however, she looked deeply upset the same.

"I think I can guess what happened next," Ron said and he trudged back to the papers. He scanned more headlines, and, sure enough, found what he was looking for.

"Look at this, Hermione," He came back to their table. "Looks like You-Know-Who took his time this time around… the paper is dated August 18th of 2000… _'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has officially risen to power again. Two years ago, with the murder of Harry Potter, the only boy who could have stopped He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named from rising to power, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has been slowly getting back to power, and he finally is back where he was before The-Boy-Who-Lived stopped him.'"_

Ron stopped reading. "So, there you have it. Because of us, Harry's dead and Voldemort has risen to power."

Hermione finally stood up. "It is _not _our fault, Ronald," She snapped. "I didn't wish to be thrown ten years into the future, did you?"

Ron shook his head. "But then how did we get here?"

Hermione threw up her hands. "I don't know! If I knew that, do you think we'd still be here?"

"Why can't we tell anyone?" Ron asked abruptly. "I mean, can we at least tell my mum?"

Hermione was seething. "No, Ronald, we _cannot _tell your mum. Why, you ask?" Hermione said before Ron could open his mouth. "Because she'd think we were imposters and send us to the ministry! We can't tell just one person without everyone finding out!"

"She won't think we're imposters! The wizarding world doesn't think Professor McGonagall and the Fat Lady saw imposters! They think it's really us and want to find out the truth!" Ron shouted.

"You're right, they _don't _think that we're imposters; they think that Professor McGonagall and the Fat Lady are seeing things!" Hermione screamed.

Then, they heard a noise from the floor above them. The two exchanged horrified looks. They had been yelling at each other, so _someone_ must have heard. Without putting the papers back, they stuffed the fire back into their cloaks and started running to the entrance hall. To their horror, they heard an familiar voice behind them, yelling, "WAIT!"

Of course, they didn't wait. They pushed open the oak doors and hid in the shadows again. They didn't dare go back to their campsite yet; they didn't want this person to find out where they were sleeping.

The person looked around. Hermione had to clap her hand to her mouth to stop from yelling out. Neville Longbottom, at age twenty-six, had heard them and was now looking for them. After a few minutes, he gave up the search. Ron and Hermione waited a few minutes before dashing through the snow back to where they were camping. They put their fires together so they could warm their frozen feet.

Only a few minutes later, the first sign of dawn was approaching. Hermione and Ron, being very tired and overwhelmed from all the information that was given to them, fell asleep almost immediately.


	5. The Missing Students

**AN:** Yay I'm writing, woohoo! And I'm writing while watching _Charmed: Complete First Season_ haha that's fun. I'm on episode two and there's no stopping me now.

**Chapter 5: The Missing Students**

Ron's eyes first opened when it was dark outside. It, once again, took him a minute before he knew where he was. Then, when he figured it out, he started wondering why it was dark out.

He looked around and saw Hermione sitting against a tree, staring up at the castle while clutching her stomach.

"Whassamatter?" Ron asked her groggily.

Hermione jumped, not knowing he had awaked. Then she answered, "Well, we haven't eaten in over ten years."

Ron started at her. "What d'you mean?"

Hermione sighed. "We haven't eaten since December 30th of 1996. It's now January 1st, almost 2nd, of 2007."

Ron raised his eyebrows. "Well, if you wanna think about it that way,"

"What really has been bothering me," Hermione interrupted him. "Is why there weren't any people out and about the castle last night." She looked thoughtful. "I mean, there always used to be big celebrations on New Years… but, I guess, now that Voldemort is back to power, no one dared to celebrate New Years."

"So… do you wanna go to the kitchens for food?"

"No," said Hermione instantly. "We don't know if the entrance to the kitchens is in the same place, we don't know if house-elves still run the kitchens, and we don't know if people will be out tonight, seeing if they can catch us."

"Why would they need to catch us?" Ron asked, dumbfounded.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Use your brain, Ron. One night, Professor McGonagall and the Fat Lady see us. Then, the next night, Neville Longbottom sees us running from the library. Obviously people will be out to try and catch us if we come back."

"Neville doesn't know it was us," Ron pointed out. "It could've been anybody."

"Yes, but if he had gone back to the library, which he or someone elseprobably did, they would've seen all the old _Daily Prophets_ out and they would see that the ones on the table were ones involving us." Hermione explained. "They obviously will think it was us, and that we somehow escaped from whoever 'kidnapped' us."

"Well, then, where are we getting food?" Ron questioned.

"Well…" Hermione thought. "Hagrid always had some fruit and vegetables in the patch behind his cabin." She shrugged. "We could go there."

Ron knew that Hermione was thinking the same thing; that Hagrid might not even alive there anymore. But he didn't voice this, and was glad Hermione didn't either. He just nodded and they both went on their way.

They made sure they stayed deep enough in the forest so that no one in the castle or on the grounds could see them. They walked for a few minutes until they saw that pumpkin patch behind Hagrid's cabin.

Ron walked into the moonlight and was about to knock on Hagrid's back door when Hermione pulled him down painfully by the arm.

_"What are you doing?"_ She hissed. "We can't go in there! Even if Hagrid's in there, he wouldn't think it was actually us!"

"How are we going to be able to live like this?" Ron whispered fiercely back. "How can we get back to our time without ever talking to anybody?"

Hermione sighed. "We'll think about that later. Let's just get some food." She crouched over to the pumpkin patch and started stuffing her cloak with fruits and vegetables.

Ron was going to join her when he heard voices from inside the cabin. And none of them sounded like Hagrid's low, booming voice.

Ron looked around to see that Hermione was still picking up food and slowly lifted his head so that he could see into the cabin.

What he saw nearly made him shout out.

The cabin was the same as always, except sitting at the old wooden table and drinking tea were three people: Peter Pettigrew, Lucius Malfoy, and Bellatrix Lestrange.

Ron ducked out of sight instantly, for fear that they would see him, and pressed his ear to the door.

"… say that Weasley and Granger are still alive." Ron caught Malfoy saying.

"Yes, well, everyone knows that they're dead." Lestrange murmured. "They ran away to 'be together' and were killed in the forest by a centaur by being eaten. As simple as that."

"That's not was Master thinks," Malfoy told her. "He's still convinced that they're alive just because a man that's nearly a squib, an old lady, and a portrait claimed they say them."

"And now he has all the Professors and Death Eaters looking for them…" Lestrange sounded greatly annoyed. "Couldn't you talk to him, Wormtail? I mean, you are his right-hand man and most faithful servant because you killed the Pottery boy," Lestrange said that last sentence with great jealousy in her voice.

"W-well, Master doesn't usually listen to me. H-he just tells m-me everything," Ron guessed that Wormtail was trembling.

"I think that the Dark Lord should tell _me_ everything too. After all, I _am_ the one that killed that oaf of a man Hagrid because he wouldn't give us his 'precious little cottage.'" Malfoy spat.

Ron just became award that Hermione, her robes bulging of food, was listening as well, right next to him. He jumped, and she pressed her finger to her lips. She looked livid with what Malfoy had just said. Ron was shaking with fury as well.

"I can imagine that killing Hagrid was easier than killing Potter," Lestrange said to Malfoy. "That giant knew barely three years of magic, while Potter knew much more than that. I, as well as everyone else, was very surprised that Peter was able to kill him."

"W-well, Potter didn't know how to hurt someone else with a curse…" Wormtail stammered.

Lestrange gave a dark laugh. "Yes, don't I know that. Especially when he tried to hurt me after I killed his precious godfather…"

They heard the front door to the cabin enter, and a familiar drawl. "Father, Lestrange, Wormtail," Draco Malfoy's voice floated in. "It's your turn to patrol while me, Crabbe, and Goyle take a break."

"Ah, alright," They heard the scraping of chairs. "Any sign of the Weasley child or the Mudblood?"

"No," Draco answered. "Some of the students aren't cooperating. Obviously, all the students except for the Slytherins have to help find them. But, earlier, a little first year Hufflepuff girl broke down and we had to do away with her."

"Who needs the weak…" Lestrange muttered.

"My thoughts exactly, Lestrange," Luscious Malfoy said. "Well, off we go."

Hermione and Ron, still crouched, tiptoed back into the forest. They didn't speak until they were back at their little campsite.

Hermione looked very uncomfortable. "So… the Death Eaters are actually making little children look for us?"

"I guess…"

Hermione sniffed. "And... if they don't cooperate... they just…"

"I know,"

"Why do parents send their children here? They obviously know what's happening…"

"Well…" Ron thought. "I have a feeling that it's like those concentration camps. The children are forced to come and if they don't, maybe the Death Eaters will come and either take the children away or just kill them."

"Why don't they hide?"

"Maybe… they can't."

* * *

"Hello, students," Professor McGonagall spoke to the silent Gryffindor common room. She had just arrived to tell them the news of Ron and Hermione.

"Last night, two students went missing. They are nowhere on the grounds or anywhere in Hogsmeade. Two other students spend a great portion of last night searching the castle for them and informing those in Hogsmeade to find them. They found nothing, nor did they find any clues as to where they are. These two missing students are Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger. If anyone has any information as to where these two are, you are urged to come forward and share your knowledge. You will be rewarded greatly. Thank you."

She made to leave, but then stopped and turned around. "Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley, if you would come with me, please," Harry and Ginny exchanged confused looks as they followed Professor McGonagall out of the common room.

"Are we in trouble, Professor McGonagall?" Ginny asked, her voice shaking. "Do you think we had something to do with it?"

"No, of course not, Miss Weasley," Professor McGonagall assured her gently. "But, at this time, your family will be here. And, perhaps, theGrangers also,"

Harry and Ginny mutely followed Professor McGonagall down a few flights of stairs to Dumbledore's office. She said the password and they went up the spiral staircase.

Professor McGonagall entered the office without knocking. There, they saw Professor Dumbledore standing behind his desk, and four armchairs instead of two perched before it. Sitting in the two chairs on the left were Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Mr. Weasley had his hand on Mrs. Weasley's shoulder, who was sobbing into her hands. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were in the other two chairs. They were both sitting stiffly. Mr. Granger was gripping the arms of his chair so tightly that his knuckles were white. Mrs. Granger just had her hands in her lap and she was shaking. They all turned around as they heard the door open.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley," Dumbledore said grimly. "Come in, come in,"

"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley jumped up and hugged her daughter tightly. Ginny usually would have blushed or exclaimed "Mum!" but since the matter was so serious, Ginny just hugged back. Mrs. Weasley pulled away after a moment and looked at her daughter. Her eyes were red and puffy. "Do you know what happened?"

Ginny shook her head, wiping her eyes. "No. But Harry talked to them right before they… disappeared." She pointed at Harry.

"What did they say, Harry?" Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Well, they said..." Harry started, but Dumbledore interrupted.

"I apologize, Harry, but you must wait to tell your story. At least until we are in the staff room, where we can see what the other teachers have to say on the matter and what the Head of Houses heard from their students." He strode over to the door and beckoned the rest to follow. "Come, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Harry, Ginny, Minerva."

The seven of them followed Professor Dumbledore to the door and back down the spiral staircase. Mr. Weasley had his arm around Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger held Mr. Granger's hand extremely tightly.

They walked for a while, up and down stairs and down many corridors, and after a few minutes, entered the staff room, where all the other teachers already were. They all stopped talking once Dumbledore entered.

Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore took the two empty seats in the staffroom. Then, Dumbledore waved his wand and six more chairs appeared and were taken up by Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Harry, and Ginny. Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked slightly uncomfortable about being in a staff room with witches and wizards.

"Hello, hello," said Dumbledore. "We all know the tense situation at hand. I expect all the Heads of Houses have talked to their students?"

Professors McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, and Sprout all nodded.

"Good. Did anyone hear any information?"

Harry was wondering if Dumbledore had forgotten that he happened to talk to Ron and Hermione before they disappeared.

Professor Sprout raised her pudgy little hand. "Two of my students, sixth years Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbott said that Ron and Hermione were in the library. They said the two were fighting."

"Yes, they were," Madam Pince spoke up.

"Did Mr. Macmillan and Miss Abbott remember what they were saying?" Dumbledore asked Professor Sprout. She shook her head. "Do you remember what they said, Madam Pince?"

She nodded stiffly. "Of course. I always remember things that people say."

"Would you mind telling us about their argument after we figure out what Harry knows?" Dumbledore asked kindly. Madam Pince nodded again. "Harry?" Dumbledore prompted.

"Well… two nights ago they got into the common room, screaming at each other," Harry started. "No one knew what was wrong. I didn't get a chance to talk to them that night, so yesterday morning and asked them what was wrong. Apparently Ron made a comment to Hermione..."

Mr. Granger interrupted him. "What did he say? Did he say something offensive to her? Was he harassing her?"

Mrs. Weasley stood up immediately. "My son did no such thing! He is a gentleman!" She nearly screamed.

"Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Granger," Dumbledore said, raising his voice slightly. "Please sit down and let Harry finish."

Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Granger, still glaring at each other, sat back down.

"Harry, continue,"

"Well," Harry started again, "Ron said that Hermione looked prettier walking past the library and not always being in it. Something along those lines. So, Hermione took it extremely personally and got really mad at him. She left for the library after she told me what was wrong, and Ron still didn't understand. So I told him why Hermione was upset and he left to go apologize. I haven't seen him since." He finished.

"And Madam Pince, you remember what they said at the library?" Professor McGonagall asked curtly.

"Yes, I do," Madam Pince straightened up.

"Then, do tell,"

"Yes ma'am. Well, Miss Granger entered and looked quite upset (I happened to be dusting books very near their table). She took a book and some parchment from her bag and started copying down some notes. Mr. Weasley entered a few minutes later, looking uncomfortable. He said her name and she looked up, asking why he was there since she was looking 'ugly' I guess. Mr. Weasley apologized and Miss Granger asked how long it took him to figure it out. He said that Mr. Potter told him."

Ginny muttered, "Typical Ron…"

"Miss Granger then exploded on him. She said, 'So Harry could figure it out, but you, of all people, couldn't?' and he said 'Well, you know I'm not very bright.' Miss Granger told him it had nothing to do with being bright. That's when I told them to leave. Miss Granger slung her back violently over her shoulder and stormed out, Mr. Weasley following." Madam Pince finished.

There was silence.

"I think," Professor Dumbledore started. "That, maybe, a spell was cast that removed Hermione and Ron from the castle."

"A spell?" Mrs. Weasley asked, taking her head from her hands.

"Yes. I think that maybe they were moved somewhere else. I believe that their fight triggered something and sent them, say, halfway across the world. The poor teens may be somewhere in the Gobi Desert, unaware of what happened. I suggest we let the Ministry know, so that everyone and anyone can keep a look out for them… and hopefully find them before the Death Eaters do."

"Death Eaters? Hermione told us about those," Mr. Granger said slowly. "They're servants to a Dark Lord. What would they want with Hermione and Ron?"

"Well, Ron and Hermione are Harry's best friends. And the Death Eaters don't like Harry, and they will do all they can to weaken him, both physically and emotionally. If Death Eaters, of Lord Voldemort himself, find Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger, they will take them and use them to get to Harry. If they hurt those two, it will affect Harry. And that's their plan. That will make it easier to get to him."

There was a ghostly silence in the room.


End file.
